£270 for the Old Course?

[Smiffy]

I paid £54.00 to play Royal St David's last summer. Enjoyed it so much I delayed my trip home and went back and played it the next day too.

I’m not a skinflint, far from it, but I’m just not sure I could ever enjoy a round of golf knowing it had cost me the best part of £300. It’s that simple for me I’m afraid.

That's why I'll never play the likes of Wentworth, Trump whatever it's called etc. Rip off prices.

 

[davidy233]

I paid £54.00 to play Royal St David's last summer. Enjoyed it so much I delayed my trip home and went back and played it the next day too.

That's why I'll never play the likes of Wentworth, Trump whatever it's called etc. Rip off prices.

Gone up a bit then - Royal St Davids is £100 this summer?

 

[Smiffy]

Gone up a bit then - Royal St Davids is £100 this summer?

Not if you do twilight rate...???
I see it's increased to £65.00 this year. Still a bargain.
36 holes is £140.00. That'll do pig. Almost half the price of 18 at the Old Course and EVERY BIT AS ENJOYABLE, IF NOT MORE SO

 

[davidy233]

Not if you do twilight rate...???

There's often a way to get cheaper - I love a bargain price on a nice course.

 

[Billysboots]

I paid £54.00 to play Royal St David's last summer. Enjoyed it so much I delayed my trip home and went back and played it the next day too.

That's why I'll never play the likes of Wentworth, Trump whatever it's called etc. Rip off prices.

I’m sure the top courses are a real experience to play, and I would do my best to get value for money by hitting as many balls as possible, but at the back of my mind would always be the cost. I would far rather go and watch the pros play courses like Wentworth, which I have done many times, than pay the best part of £3 for every swing.

Throw into the mix that some of these courses will chew up and spit out the average club golfer, and I’m just likely to walk off having spent a small fortune, in relative terms, for 4/5 hours of mental torture.

I’ve been lucky enough to play Monte Rei in the eastern Algarve many times. It’s rated one of the best in Europe. But I’ve had the benefit of playing with a member at a massively reduced green fee. I’m not sure I’d be willing to pay the full green fee which is in the region of 250 Euros at peak times.

 

[Smiffy]

There's often a way to get cheaper - I love a bargain price on a nice course.

I'd pay the £140.00 day rate there in a heartbeat.
No pressure, no Marshall pushing you round, fantastic scenery.
In fact I'm booking it now. Roll on August.

 

[Smiffy]

For fear of repetition, let me tell you of my experience playing the rip off that is the Old Course.
March 1991, seven of us went to Scotland for the 1st time and of course we had to play at the home of golf.
Pre-booked well in advance, and turned up on a typical cold, grey and damp Scottish morning. 3 ball went first, followed by the other 4 lads. Hardly anyone else on the course.
Things were going well for three or four holes and then a Marshall popped out of the gorse. I was in the threeball and we had pulled a hole out on the following four already. The Marshall started giving us advice on the ideal lines off the tee etc. but then started raking bunkers in his efforts to speed us along. I could understand it if the fourball behind had been right up our chuffers, but they weren't. As I say, there was hardly anyone else on the course, yet this guy was trying to get us round in record time. Now seriously, anybody that has ever played with me can vouch that I am not a slow player, nor were the lads that I was with. The whole thing stank and just reinforced what a money making bunch they are. As a result I don't remember anything about the course due to the pressure we were put under, and that is why I would never go back.
During the following years when we went to play Carnoustie instead, I don't think we saw a Marshall once.

 

[CliveW]

Utter crap. If demand is low then, as a business, you would lower you prices to draw in customers. Increasing prices would be a sure way of making sure you went out if business. The hike in prices is because they are greedy gets. They are preparing for the Megha rich to come over and hand over the dish without complaining now travel will be opened up. The golfing community should turn their back on the open this year to show that we are not prepared to be treated like this anymore. As for discounts, any resident of the UK should get the discount. Not just Scotland residents. We are the UK, at the moment, after all, aren't we?

Who said demand was low? There will always be a demand to play the Old Course whether it is from well off UK players or international ones. Do you honestly believe that if us mere mortals decide to boycott the Open this year they will pay any attention. If anything we should be protesting at the cost of £95 a day to attend the Open!

 

[davidy233]

For fear of repetition, let me tell you of my experience playing the rip off that is the Old Course.
March 1991, seven of us went to Scotland for the 1st time and of course we had to play at the home of golf.
Pre-booked well in advance, and turned up on a typical cold, grey and damp Scottish morning. 3 ball went first, followed by the other 4 lads. Hardly anyone else on the course.
Things were going well for three or four holes and then a Marshall popped out of the gorse. I was in the threeball and we had pulled a hole out on the following four already. The Marshall started giving us advice on the ideal lines off the tee etc. but then started raking bunkers in his efforts to speed us along. I could understand it if the fourball behind had been right up our chuffers, but the weren't. As I say, there was hardly anyone else on the course, yet this guy was trying to get us round in record time. Now seriously, anybody that has ever played with me can vouch that I am not a slow player, nor were the lads that I was with. The whole thing stank and just reinforced what a money making bunch they are. As a result I don't remember anything about the round due to the pressure we were put under, and that is why I would never go back.
During the following years when we went to play Carnoustie instead, I don't think we saw a Marshall once.

I can kind of sympathise with your experience and 100% believe it as I played the Old in a four ball during April 1992 on a golfing trip north with my mates when I lived down south - we had a marshall (on a moped if i remember correctly) checking on us a few times early on - he didn't try to hurry us along but he did mention that he was going ahead to chase the group of Swedish guys in the group ahead of us as they were losing their place - didn't see him after the 5th - would have cost you £30-£35 to play back then.

But thirty years is a long time to hold a grudge - we played the Old in September this year (My first time since '92) - didn't see a marshal and never felt pushed or held up - starter treated us like gold.

 

[tugglesf239]

The thing that irks me about this is possibly irrational. However St Andrew’s and the OC are the real life representation that this game of ours, is for everybody. From tour pro, to weekend warrior. We all have (had) the opportunity to play the hallow turf as equals.

That is now no longer the case.

Earlier I stated that open venues should be available for all and whilst I think this is fair to an extent, if Carnoustie, muirfield et al want to charge through the nose, then begrudgingly I think fair enough.

However the OC is different. It’s our heritage, It’s the history and it was supposed to be about inclusiveness for all golfers.

Now perhaps I am looking at this through rose tinted glasses but it’s bloody St. Andrews for god sake.

If they are now only really interested in high rolling yanks then sod them.

I am not against Exclusivity in golf.

I’ve played plenty of very exclusive courses and feel Very at ease that courses like JCB exist. It’s their train sets so they can do what they want.

But not the old course. It’s just different in so, so many different ways.

 

[Crazyface]

For fear of repetition, let me tell you of my experience playing the rip off that is the Old Course.
March 1991, seven of us went to Scotland for the 1st time and of course we had to play at the home of golf.
Pre-booked well in advance, and turned up on a typical cold, grey and damp Scottish morning. 3 ball went first, followed by the other 4 lads. Hardly anyone else on the course.
Things were going well for three or four holes and then a Marshall popped out of the gorse. I was in the threeball and we had pulled a hole out on the following four already. The Marshall started giving us advice on the ideal lines off the tee etc. but then started raking bunkers in his efforts to speed us along. I could understand it if the fourball behind had been right up our chuffers, but they weren't. As I say, there was hardly anyone else on the course, yet this guy was trying to get us round in record time. Now seriously, anybody that has ever played with me can vouch that I am not a slow player, nor were the lads that I was with. The whole thing stank and just reinforced what a money making bunch they are. As a result I don't remember anything about the course due to the pressure we were put under, and that is why I would never go back.
During the following years when we went to play Carnoustie instead, I don't think we saw a Marshall once.

I did, but he was only there to check everyone had paid. I was actually out of sync on his list as I was let out early as there was a gap in the tee times. He was as nice as nice could be. Had a lovely day. On my own, except for the wife, who was chief photographer that day. Birdied the 5th out of a horrendously deep greenside bunker. How I got the ball up on to the green I'll never know. Wouldn't have attempted it but the wife said, with a shrug, "you probably will not come back" and handed me my 64 deg wedge. Almost got a hole in one on the 13th, with 8 greenkeepers watching. Pressure? What pressure? All of them watched my shot from the tee, they were all round the green, and all praised my shot as I walked up. Memories......but never again, not at those prices! And for anyone who runs these robbing Open venues who happen to be reading this, just see what you are taking away from real golfers all over the country who support the game and have done though thick and thin. Now golf is, seemingly, on the up, you are cashing in. I hope you all rot in the biggest bunker that hell can provide.

 

[evemccc]

Utter crap. If demand is low then, as a business, you would lower you prices to draw in customers. Increasing prices would be a sure way of making sure you went out if business. The hike in prices is because they are greedy gets. They are preparing for the Megha rich to come over and hand over the dish without complaining now travel will be opened up. The golfing community should turn their back on the open this year to show that we are not prepared to be treated like this anymore. As for discounts, any resident of the UK should get the discount. Not just Scotland residents. We are the UK, at the moment, after all, aren't we?

Have been for the last 300 years!

Agreed - I do want to play TOC hugely, and when so many greats of the game eulogise about it (Bobby Jones, Nicklaus, Watson, Faldo and Woods) to the extent they do, and with the uniqueness of design and the history, I can’t pretend it won’t be the course I want to play most of all

But one look at the website makes my think it’s the most ‘corporate’ place around — in terms of the sponsorships and branding with Callaway and Allianze…seems a bit out of place with all that’s said about the Links Trust and all that
EDIT: Somehow I missed the post by @tugglesf239 - basically trying to say the same thing as that post!

 

[evemccc]

I think that when many of us rank top courses, we are mostly talking about our experiences — and that short of playing a top course several times, it can be hard to rank courses objectively, as so much depends on PP, weather, conditions, how we played, prior expectation level, general mood etc.
In fact some of the best memories of anything in life comes from being surprised and having no or low expectations smashed

 

[pendodave]

I think the R&A have been a little asleep at the wheel on this.
They (rightly) leaned on muirfield because they didn't fancy the look.
Why don't they fancy the look that "normal" golfers might be excluded from these courses, and that being an "open venue" creates value for the courses in question?
I'm sure there are ways they could do this, if they cared. Many Scottish courses give discounts to SGU golfers; maybe EGU and WGU golfers could be offered similar? 1 discounted rate per ID code per year?
There's definitely a way to achieve it if they wanted to.

For the record, I played TOC in December a couple of years ago for £95 iirc. Bluebird day, no wind. Joined up with a couple of others, a very relaxed and enjoyable day. Really great experience.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

To put it into some context - the Trust which run the links etc I believe lost a significant amount of money in 2020 because of Covid and prob a lot more this next year

The course gives a lot of discount to SGU members and locals etc who have filled up the tee times but that level of fee isn’t going to offset the losses of those mainly continental visitors

For me £270 to play the Old Course will be fine - would have no problems paying to play on the same course as all the greats of tbe game - the experience is unbelievable and it’s rare in sport to walk the same hallowed turk as the best the sport has seen.

Golf is booming but it’s also going to try and recover a lot of lost money over the past 2 years.

And as with life - there is always the choice - I can understand why the fees have gone up , I don’t think many will have not put their fees up this year

But let’s remember - we can’t play at Wembley or Lords or Wimbledon but we can The Old Course and all the other great Open courses in the UK

At least we have the chance - just look at how many are out of reach in the US

 

[Jimaroid]

Who said demand was low?

I did, but specifically the context of visitor demand being low over the last two years due to the various travel restrictions and lockdowns.

 

[doublebogey7]

The thing that irks me about this is possibly irrational. However St Andrew’s and the OC are the real life representation that this game of ours, is for everybody. From tour pro, to weekend warrior. We all have (had) the opportunity to play the hallow turf as equals.

That is now no longer the case.

Earlier I stated that open venues should be available for all and whilst I think this is fair to an extent, if Carnoustie, muirfield et al want to charge through the nose, then begrudgingly I think fair enough.

However the OC is different. It’s our heritage, It’s the history and it was supposed to be about inclusiveness for all golfers.

Now perhaps I am looking at this through rose tinted glasses but it’s bloody St. Andrews for god sake.

If they are now only really interested in high rolling yanks then sod them.

I am not against Exclusivity in golf.

I’ve played plenty of very exclusive courses and feel Very at ease that courses like JCB exist. It’s their train sets so they can do what they want.

But not the old course. It’s just different in so, so many different ways.

So who do you expect to subsidise your visit to the OC. Or would you be happy to play it with divots, pitch marks etc everywhere or bunkers that haven't been renovated in decades? To get the conditioning these top courses achieve costs alot alot of dosh, which is one reason they charge what they do. As others have pointed the OC is run by a charitable trust and beyond donating small amounts to local good courses there is no profit in the fees they charge. The OC is pretty unique in the hold it has over us with every golfer wishing to play it, until this year the trust has charged less than it could have because frankly, it didn't need the money. However, with the losses, they will have made over the last 2 years that is no longer the case. I for one do not begrudge them that, though I'm not sure I could justify paying that sort of money having already played it.

 

[davidy233]

To put it into some context - the Trust which run the links etc I believe lost a significant amount of money in 2020 because of Covid and prob a lot more this next year

The course gives a lot of discount to SGU members and locals etc who have filled up the tee times but that level of fee isn’t going to offset the losses of those mainly continental visitors

For me £270 to play the Old Course will be fine - would have no problems paying to play on the same course as all the greats of tbe game - the experience is unbelievable and it’s rare in sport to walk the same hallowed turk as the best the sport has seen.

Golf is booming but it’s also going to try and recover a lot of lost money over the past 2 years.

And as with life - there is always the choice - I can understand why the fees have gone up , I don’t think many will have not put their fees up this year

But let’s remember - we can’t play at Wembley or Lords or Wimbledon but we can The Old Course and all the other great Open courses in the UK

At least we have the chance - just look at how many are out of reach in the US

Not sure that SGU members get a discount at St Andrews (Id love to be wrong) - neither do locals - St Andrews residents and to a lesser extent North east Fife residents who are members of club in St Andrews do however get the best bargain season tickets in the World.

 

[Smiffy]

Our local restaurant has lost out a lot over the last two years due to covid. I might go and suggest they double their prices to recoup some of it. That'll work. It's a great business model

 

[patricks148]

Not sure that SGU members get a discount at St Andrews (Id love to be wrong) - neither do locals - St Andrews residents and to a lesser extent North east Fife residents who are members of club in St Andrews do however get the best bargain season tickets in the World.

I think you are right, no discount on TOC. Last time I played and had to pay the green fee rather than as a guest I payed the same as a punter from anywhere else. I think the SG have a rate for the castle course, but not many if any deals on open courses any longer, it's mostly newer courses where they have had some help from the local authority in some way like Castle Stuart, Drumbarnie etc.